An inkjet printer carries out printing by ejecting inks from nozzles onto a recording sheet. A known inkjet printer is configured to mount thereon an ink cartridge storing an ink. Another known inkjet printer is capable of detecting and monitoring a remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge.
JP-A-6-106730 describes an inkjet printer including an inkjet printer body, ink tanks (ink cartridges) which stores inks, respectively, a carriage on which the ink tanks are mounted, and a lever which locates and retains the ink tanks at and on the carriage. Each of the ink tanks is formed of a transparent material such that the inside of the ink tank is viewable from the outside. The lever has an opening formed therethrough. Also, the inkjet printer body has an opening formed therethrough at a position facing the carriage when the carriage is located at a predetermined position out of a recording region, e.g., a home position, during a non-printing time or the like. According to this configuration, even in a state in which the ink tanks are retained to the carriage by the lever, it is possible for a user to visually check remaining amounts of inks in the ink tanks, respectively, through the opening of the inkjet printer body and the opening of the lever.
However, in the above-described inkjet printer, it may be difficult to visually check the remaining amounts of inks via the openings from the outside, depending on the positions of the openings. When the ink tanks are attempted to be provided at a position easily viewable from the outside, the flexibility in layout of the ink tanks in the printer is decreased. Moreover, during printing, because the carriage on which the ink tanks are mounted is away from the home position, it is impossible to check remaining amounts of inks in the ink tanks through the openings. Additionally, it may be not advantageous in appearance that an opening is provided to the printer body, through which an interior of the inkjet printer can always be seen.